For months, discussion has floated around Florida soccer circles that when Orlando City moves to MLS, Kaka will be their first Designated Player signing. With the official news of OCSC’s admission to MLS beginning in 2015, the discussion of Kaka moving to Orlando City SC has intensified according to BBC Sport.

For Kaka, who is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance in Milan this season, a move to MLS at this stage in his career is logical. Orlando is also a logical destination with a large population of Brazilians, frequent Brazilian tourists and proximity to an even larger Brazilian population in southeast Florida.

Orlando City should use the contacts Head Coach Adrian Heath and co-owner Phil Rawlins (a director at Stoke City) have in English football to bring another DP from Europe to the club in 2015. Orlando City and their predecessor Austin Aztex (the club was relocated in 2010) has shown ability at the minor league level to attract players with long professional histories in English football. That ability and those contacts will prove invaluable at the Major League level.

It is critical in the competitive entertainment market that Central Florida represents that Orlando City come out of the gate quickly with the type of flashiness that will cement the loyalty of fans locally. The team has attracted remarkable crowds at the minor league level but much of that can possibly explained by the constant winning the club did at the Division 3 level.

The Central Florida market should be a successful one for MLS. But signing Kaka and one other DP would really move the bar forward for the newly minted MLS side.

About The Author

A lifelong lover of soccer, the beautiful game, he served from January 2010 until May 2013 as the Director of Communications and Public Relations for the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Raised on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL, Krishnaiyer previously hosted the American Soccer Show on the Champions Soccer Radio Network, the Major League Soccer Talk podcast and the EPL Talk Podcast.
His soccer writing has been featured by several media outlets including The Guardian and The Telegraph. He is the author of the book Blue With Envy about Manchester City FC.

3 Comments

I think Kaka should just stay at AC Milan and try to get back to or as close as he can to his old form and end his career at the club where he did so well at. I think that would just be a good way for him to go out. Not going to the MlS or some weak league.